Tall pants for women - why so elusive?

[luvthatdisney]

Been fighting this same problem for so many years...I have to admit it is better now then it was when I was in high school (25 years ago). There was one shop that I could buy actual tall pants called the Tall Girls Shop. Back then it was about $50 for a pair of jeans there, doesn't sound like much to pay now, but in the early eighties that was unheard of and I had to beg my Dad to buy me 1 pair!!!! Back then Levis' and Lee jeans were the rage and I always had to buy men's or wear them a little short - thank goodness we had the scrunch boots (which are making a comeback now) so I could hide the fact that they were too short.

Now I buy my pants online mostly. Old Navy, Talbot's (on sale only), and NY&Co. are my go to stores. However, before I recently lost weight - I was a Plus size tall and basically my only options for pants that fit me correctly was Lane Bryant or Avenue. Last time I was in LB they had no talls in the store could only order them for me. Sad day

 

[Marshay]

I get my cheaper pants from JCP catalog (ultra-talls!!) and when I'm looking for good clothes I go to the what used to be The Tall Girl Shop but is now Long Tall Sally (on-line). They are not just longer pants (like JCP) but all their clothes are proportioned for a taller body, all-around (hips, torso, rise, etc).

 

[Sagginit]

well it depends on your size. im 5'8" and all legs so i wear 33-34 inseams. since im a 0-2 i shop the victorias secret online and have gotten great deals on clearance, pair that with codes and free shipping and its a good deal.

i also used to go to the limited sometimes. one thing i have found is some designers make their pants longer so its worth the money. i got awesome pants at nordstroms and i didnt even need to have a hem let out, in fact one pair of bcbg ones i got were too long!

i also understand the rise thing. low rise pants makes it tough b/c well, long legs mean you need the hips to support them and sometimes they just make the pant longer and you have the rise of a petite which leads to all sorts of wedgies. i get around that by finding nice wider or looser leg pants since they tend to be more roomy in that area.

 

[jswoodard]

Although I haven't lucked out on free shipping, I like Athleta for pants. I'm 6' with long legs and high waist and I've had really good luck with their tall pants. I've nabbed some good bargains in the clearance section. If you read the comments posted under the item, they'll usually provide good advice regarding what size to order (ie they run small). One style of pant I like SO much I ordered one in every color.

Believe it or not, Sears has some good tall dress pants, too. They're easy wash and wear styles that aren't fussy and I've been happy with but my Athleta pants are my absolute favorite!

 

[dpratt68]

Christopher and Banks has LONG and they are definitely for talls. I am 5'5" and consider myself average height and I have to buy short length there because long is at least 6-8 inches too long

 

[herdtoDisney]

Pants for tall women are nearly impossible to find because the manufacturers are using all that excess fabric to make the legs of petite pants too dang long for short women to wear without hemming them. There, that is your answer. They are determined to make my pants too long and your pants too short. They are evil.

LOL, this is true!!! I'm petite and have found the same thing! I'm 5ft tall, so not particularly short, and I often find 'petite' pants with like 4 or 5 inches of extra length! Thankfully, I wear a uniform for work and the supplier hems the pants for me.

I have a tall friend who loves Christopher and Banks, and Kohls.

 

[njmom47]

JC Penney (work pants) and Fashion Bug (jeans/work pants). I have also purchased tall jeans in Walmart (boot cut). I'm almost 5'10, size 18, and wear high shoes all the time so need at least 34" inseam.
JCP has so many different styles of work pants in tall there should be a cut that fits you well.

 

[dromio42]

Not only does Lands End hem pants for you, they also have different waist heights (I forget what they call them...modern, classic..) You can return anything to any Sears store with a Lands End Counter. They will take anything back without any problem - it's their costomer service policy. So pants that don't last long enough can even be returned. If you sign up for their emails, they send free ship[ping sales a few times a week. Good luck.

 

[anna08]

Try CAbi clothes - it's a line of clothing from a former Nordstrom's designer. She is apparently quite tall herself and therefore designs all her pants in 2 lengths - the longer has 35 inch inseam. Check out the website - cabionline.com. There are releases of clothes in the spring and fall each year and they are unavailable except by ebay once the season ends. You will need to find a seller close to you so you can try samples on and they will ship anything you order free and have a straightforward 30day return policy. I had never purchased clothing like this before but I have only shopped this way for the last 2 years. The quality is fantastic and I get compliments on the clothing constantly. My DH is not the sort who notices clothing often, but he really likes my CAbi stuff!

 

[wide awake]

Long Elegant legs...even have inseams to 38"...I'm a size 4, 36" inseam so Penneys, Lands End, Eddie Bauer don't work for me...Long Tall Sally from England is good too, but not as much of a selection in size 4...you're in luck if you're size 6 or more. Long Elegant Legs isn't so great on quality...but their yoga pants and jeans are fine.
My complaint...I look nice in clothes...do the manufacturers make good quality in my size, no. I would have to be super rich to afford really good clothes. But short plump people have loads of labels and qualities to choose from. Yes, I realize that there are more short plump people around...but, don't you think the manufacturers would want to make clothes for those of us that can really show them off ? I'm not trying to be mean here. But how would short or average ht women like it if they were reduced to 2-3 places where they could buy clothes ? And they couldn't buy the quality they wanted ?
I will ck out some of the sites mentioned that I haven't heard of. Thank-you.

 

[EMom]

Let me toss this one out there for you tall ladies.....

Clothing designers seems to labor under the false impression that all petite women have no breasts to speak of. If you are short, you have preteen bosoms. Petite women have petite breasts. So it is written, so it shall be done.

Just wondering.....Does that mean the tops for tall women have space for massive bosoms? Do they think no tall women can be flat chested?

Just curious.

 

[rigs32]

Even though I'm 5'9", because I have such a high waist and curves, I have some petite tops. Too many these days go halfway down my thighs.

But I have a similar issue as emom - anything that might fit my hips and waist seems to think I should have a more noticeable rear. Trying to find underwear that fits is also quite tricky.

UPDATE - I ordered a few things from JCPennys with their free shipping code to try them out. I got the new Lands End catalogue today and was excited as we actually have a Lands End in town where I could return stuff. They only have casual pants in talls! What's up with that? Don't taller women need to go to work, too? I say this as someone who can't wear khakis to work and I'm not sure I'd ever wear cords.

 

[si-am]

Let me toss this one out there for you tall ladies.....

Clothing designers seems to labor under the false impression that all petite women have no breasts to speak of. If you are short, you have preteen bosoms. Petite women have petite breasts. So it is written, so it shall be done.

Just wondering.....Does that mean the tops for tall women have space for massive bosoms? Do they think no tall women can be flat chested?

Just curious.

Tops for tall women? What are those?

Remember, there are no tall departments like there are petite departments. There are some online places that sell tall shirts, but mostly we go around exposing our wrists.

 

[Twingle]

Found some new places to shop for us tall ladies - my DH will be thrilled.

One place I've not seen mentioned is J.Jill - they have a tall line that's really good. I have a pair of jeans from there I've had at least four years, wear all the time and still look brand new.

Happy Shopping

 

[mistysue]

At least petite women can hem things to make them shorter. I've tried letting out the hem on normal length pants, but they still look like high waters. It's too cold to wear skirts all winter!

I wish it was as easy as it seems! They seem to do weird things with the hips on petite pants, so usually when I get pants it would cost less and take half the time to buy the fabric and make up a pattern than to actually get the pants to fit. Rather than explain it to people, I'm just one of those women who is wearing skirts all the time. (even in the snowy winter!)

 

[esk]

True, as a petite woman I can hem to make the legs shorter, but then the crotch goes down to my knees.

And what is up with shirts this year.....they all go WAY down past my hips and that isn't a good idea with my mommy pooch.

As a petite, I'm always frustrated that everything is too long....and I'm 5'3, not even short! But nothing ever fits and petite clothes are not as plentiful as they seem.

Grass is always greener, isn't it

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Been fighting this same problem for so many years...I have to admit it is better now then it was when I was in high school (25 years ago). There was one shop that I could buy actual tall pants called the Tall Girls Shop. Back then it was about $50 for a pair of jeans there, doesn't sound like much to pay now, but in the early eighties that was unheard of and I had to beg my Dad to buy me 1 pair!!!! Back then Levis' and Lee jeans were the rage and I always had to buy men's or wear them a little short - thank goodness we had the scrunch boots (which are making a comeback now) so I could hide the fact that they were too short.

Now I buy my pants online mostly. Old Navy, Talbot's (on sale only), and NY&Co. are my go to stores. However, before I recently lost weight - I was a Plus size tall and basically my only options for pants that fit me correctly was Lane Bryant or Avenue. Last time I was in LB they had no talls in the store could only order them for me. Sad day

I used to LOVE the Tall Girl Shop. It was pricy, but I have been 6'1" since I was 12 and soooo needed that store. It was worth it to pay more to not have my ankles hanging out.


The the person who mentioned yoga pants. (Forgot to quote it.) Last year I got Calvin Klein yoga pants at Sam's Club. I bought a pair cause they looked long, and they were soooo long I thought I was going to have to hem them, unheard of for me! I went back and bought like 5 more pairs (I have endometrosis and where jeans and pants fold when I sit is right into my c-section scars and where the most pain is being very uncomfortable so I wear yoga pants 99% of the time.) They are the nicest pants! I just bought 4 more pairs this year so they do have them again and they are still very long.

Tall girl tops would be nice, so often I pass on a cute shirt cause the sleeves are too short and that bugs me to no end.

 

[Marshay]

I used to LOVE the Tall Girl Shop.

FYI -- This is now Long Tall Sally.

 

[CherylA]

I used to LOVE the Tall Girl Shop. It was pricy, but I have been 6'1" since I was 12 and soooo needed that store. It was worth it to pay more to not have my ankles hanging out.


The the person who mentioned yoga pants. (Forgot to quote it.) Last year I got Calvin Klein yoga pants at Sam's Club. I bought a pair cause they looked long, and they were soooo long I thought I was going to have to hem them, unheard of for me! I went back and bought like 5 more pairs (I have endometrosis and where jeans and pants fold when I sit is right into my c-section scars and where the most pain is being very uncomfortable so I wear yoga pants 99% of the time.) They are the nicest pants! I just bought 4 more pairs this year so they do have them again and they are still very long.

Tall girl tops would be nice, so often I pass on a cute shirt cause the sleeves are too short and that bugs me to no end.

Those Sams club Yoga pants sound great but I don't belong to Sam's club. I'll have to look at Costco and BJ's, I have meberships there, maybe they will have them too.

Thanks!

 

[delmar411]

Let me toss this one out there for you tall ladies.....

Clothing designers seems to labor under the false impression that all petite women have no breasts to speak of. If you are short, you have preteen bosoms. Petite women have petite breasts. So it is written, so it shall be done.

Just wondering.....Does that mean the tops for tall women have space for massive bosoms? Do they think no tall women can be flat chested?

Just curious.

No, they think tall women are flat chested too! LOL

Old Navy has real tall tops online. Although the quality isn't that great and they do shrink.

Lands End is almost always a good bet for length and I love that you can return things at Sears.

I have one pair of yoga/sweat pants from Old Navy that are actually too long for me. DH thinks it's funny that I'm excited to have a pair of pants cover my feet!

When I worked I used to get tall pants from NY&Co but I guess their quality isn't as good as it once was.